ONE Move to Mobilize the Wrists, Shoulders, and Thoracic Spine

Today’s post is all about an awesome combination movement that addresses mobility in the wrists, shoulders and thoracic spine.

Watch the video below – even if you don’t plan on reading the whole article, you should still do the damn move!

Why it rocks:
1) It takes the shoulder back and forth from internal to external rotation
2) It takes the wrist from flexion to extension
3) It takes forearm from pronation to supination
4) It takes the scapula through its full circle WHILE it is in both internal rotation and external rotation
5) It teaches you to move the spine anteriorly and posteriorly (critical for shoulder mobility)

Each revolution is initiated by a passive stretch and load on the joint, especially at the wrists. The lift-off creates a demand for the muscles to contract on the opposite side to maintain the joint angle.

PRO TIP: Whenever you stretch one muscle (lengthen), you need to be able to contract the one on the other side (shortened).

When the palms are facing down you are working on passive wrist extension. When you lift them up and contract the extensors to maintain the joint angle, you are training active wrist extension.

This cycling from passive to active is a good way to maintain a small gap between your active and passive flexibility.

This is important. Having a large gap between your active and passive flexibility is a telltale sign of impending injury and dysfunction–so close that gap!

We are always looking to get a little bit more with less time. Taking care of your joints and moving them through their whole range of motion daily is of the utmost importance and sometimes you just want to do deadlifts and handstands with that time.

Don’t. Skip. Joint. Hygiene.

If you are willing to shower and brush your teeth every day, you need to be moving your joints every day.

So if you want one movement combo that is going to really make your upper body feel good, this is the one. Don’t be afraid to add in some neck rotations while you’re down there. Maybe even use this to kick off your 5 Minute Flow.

For a detailed guide on how to properly take care of your shoulders and upper body, get a copy of my new bookSimple Shoulder Solution.